Hour of Need (Scarlet Falls #1)(80)

“No. Our daughter’s case is no longer exciting news. The press gave up their vigilance when the police declared there wasn’t enough evidence to file charges.” Mrs. Hamilton sounded bitter. “They jumped on that interview, but only because bullying is such a hot-button topic.”

Ellie checked the clock. “There’ll be a tall man with me. Say in about an hour?”

“All right.” Mrs. Hamilton provided her address. “My husband and I will be here.”

“See you then.” Ellie sent Grant a text, letting him know about the meeting. Distracted, she paced the foyer until the dog ran to the front door. Not wanting barking to wake the baby, Ellie led the dog back to Hannah. The baby was sleeping in her seat in the corner.

“Thanks,” mouthed Hannah.

Ellie ran out to the car as Mac went into the house. One look at Grant’s face told her something was wrong. She closed the car door. “What happened?”

“Mac and I found where Donnie’s been staying.” His knuckles were white on the steering wheel.

“How did you find him when the police don’t know where he is?”

Grant’s answer was too slow, as if he were carefully choosing his words. “Mac knows people on the other side of the law.”

“Really?” She wouldn’t have guessed the shaggy biologist had a dark past.

“Unfortunately, he went through a rebellious stage in his youth.”

“We all have some bad decisions behind us. What’s important is that he came through it.” As she spoke the words, Ellie realized how much they applied to her as well as Mac. Nan was right. It was time she forgave herself for one stupid mistake in high school.

“I know, but it wasn’t easy to see the evidence of how far Mac really fell. I was away. I had no idea.” He frowned. “I think that bothers me more than what actually happened. I left Lee to handle everything back home. I never considered the amount of responsibility he shouldered.”

“Did he ever say anything to you?”

“No.”

“You were at war, Grant. He probably thought you had enough on your plate.”

“Did you know they were having financial difficulties?” he asked.

“Neither of them said anything outright, but I knew Kate was sweating the mortgage and the BMW lease payments. They couldn’t afford to fix the house up the way I was working on mine. But then, my house is smaller, the price was lower, and I had a substantial down payment from the last house I flipped.”

“I don’t understand why they bought a house they couldn’t afford. Sure, their previous place was small. Two kids would have been a tight fit, but wouldn’t that be better than being in debt?”

Ellie squeezed his hand. “Lee wanted that partnership. He’d put seven years into that firm, and the senior Mr. Peyton, Roger’s father, told Lee if he wanted to be a partner, he’d better look the part.”

“That makes no sense.”

“Old Mr. Peyton is superficial. He wouldn’t give the partnership to anyone who didn’t look successful,” Ellie said. “But I’m not sure why Lee took the case, considering the partnership was so pivotal for his career. Before Peyton hired Frank, Lee didn’t really have any competition. He thought the partnership was a sure thing. But with Frank vying for the same position, taking the Hamilton case was a risky decision.”

“So Lee worked his ass off, and Peyton screwed him by hiring a competitor.”

“Unfortunately, that sums it up. He probably thought he’d get more out of Lee if he kept him on edge.”

“Maybe Lee thought taking the case was the right thing to do. He had this optimistic streak. He always thought things would work out. Usually, he was right, but this time I guess he wasn’t.” Grant was quiet for the next few minutes.

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” she said.

He nodded. “Are you sure you want to know?”

“Yes.” Apprehension bubbled into her chest, but she didn’t want to be sheltered from any truth that could affect her family’s safety.

“Looks like Donnie killed his girlfriend. He put her on ice in her trailer bathtub.”

She recoiled. “I don’t know why I’m shocked. He already killed Lee and Kate.” But another murder drove home the danger to her family. “Did you call the police?”

“I did. Don’t worry. I used a pay phone and didn’t leave my name.” Grant’s posture was stiff. He steered the car with one hand. The other rested on his thigh, clenching and loosening repeatedly. He was acting stoic, but finding that woman’s body had disturbed him.

“I wasn’t worried.” She reached over and grabbed his hand. He curled his fingers tightly around hers, and a small amount of tension eased from his muscles.

Ellie directed him through a few turns. The Hamiltons lived in a development of big houses on large lots. A meadow and forest edged the rear of the property.

“Lindsay hanged herself in those woods behind the house, right?” Grant steered the car up a long driveway.

“Yes.” Ellie placed a hand on the tension building in her stomach. The thought of living so close to the place where a child took her own life sent a wave of nausea into her throat. “How can they live here?”